It will only get tougher for Australia following chaotic tour of South Africa
STRUGGLING Australia next faces Bangladesh before hosting India on home soil with an unbalanced, new-look side after the chaotic tour of South Africa.
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THE Steve Smith and David Warner absences will hurt Australia in its Test future, according to South African batsman Temba Bavuma.
Australia faces Bangladesh before hosting India on home soil next summer with an unbalanced, new-look side after the chaotic tour of South Africa, with Mitch Starc the only obvious inclusion after a barren final Test.
Smith and Warner are banned for a year while opener Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months, after the third Test ball-tampering plot was discovered.
Their three batting inclusions capitulated in the fourth Test at The Wanderers, collectively making just 12 runs and lasting 41 balls, in response to South Africa’s first innings total 488.
A fatigued Australian attack looks ready to fly home — perhaps unsurprising after the wild and “draining” week — with more in The Wanderers wicket than their bowling figures suggested.
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Bavuma delivered the dagger-blow to the inexperienced and fragile Australians by reaching 95 not out in his patient first innings, as Australia was left chasing its tail thereafter at The Wanderers.
The middle order batter seized his rare opportunity and conceded they had the psychological edge.
“It would be crazy to think there wouldn’t be an effect on the team,’’ Bavuma said.
“They’ve lost people who have played a pivotal role in their success as a team.
“That’s probably going to show within the next couple of games as they try to fill the void left by those players.
“They lost their captain and I’d like to think they depend a lot on him, in all aspects of their game.
“In saying that — they’re still a team that has enough firepower and skill to be more than competitive.”
Facing the Proteas’ formidable pace attack at The Bullring, Australia missed its “Bull” David Warner, who was back in Australia facing the music from the ball-tampering scandal.
Keeper Tim Paine’s worrying right hand is cause for concern moving forward, after he copped a knock after a 122 kilometre delivery from Chadd Sayers.
The aggressive and courageous Paine ignored his previous travails to stand right by the stumps to Sayers — as he has done to fellow medium pacer Mitch Marsh this series — whose brilliant delivery evaded Quinton de Kock’s outside edge and caught him on the right glove.
Paine, 33, has required seven operations and three bone grafts since his bad finger break in 2010.
Originally published as It will only get tougher for Australia following chaotic tour of South Africa